Tillis Co-Sponsors Bipartisan PFAS Accountability Act | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) co-sponsored the bipartisan PFAS Accountability Act, legislation that would hold federal agencies accountable for addressing contamination for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at military bases across the country.

    "PFAS contamination continues to be a growing problem in North Carolina," said Senator Tillis. "The PFAS Accountability Act will provide additional tools to our states to clean up and further protect affected communities. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to see this legislation signed into law."

    The PFAS Accountability Act sets clear deadlines and reporting requirements for cleaning up PFAS contamination at federal facilities across the country, including active and decommissioned military bases, and mandates greater transparency. It calls on federal facilities, including military and National Guard installations, to expedite cooperative agreements with states to address PFAS contamination. These agreements commit the federal government to take specific actions and enable states and local communities to be reimbursed for costs incurred to address PFAS contamination.

    If a cooperative agreement is not reached within a year after a state requests one, the bill requires a federal agency such as the Department of Defense to send a report to Congress explaining the reason for the delay and a projected timeline for completing the agreement. In addition, the bill enables the federal government to issue grants to states, local communities, and tribes to take actions to address drinking, ground and surface waters contaminated by PFAS.

    The legislation was introduced by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Gary Peters (D-MI) and also co-sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Burr (R-NC), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

• Contact: Daniel Keylin
•     daniel_keylin@tillis.senate.gov